The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-10-26
visit to Jenner Township.


A short time since. after an absence %
twenty three years ] paid visit % Jennei
Township. Somerset County. the place o
my nativity, travelling in buggy. and pass
ing through several other townships. in ths
same county on my way thither expec-
ted to find things changed from what they
were when left. bat the changes ~ far ex-
ceeded my expectations thai have jo;tesl
down few items for the Tri5aae
passed the site Of the old school-houss
where | graduated nearly forty years ago
but instead of ancient structure 80 vivid :
+ retained in my memory. saw eommo,li-
Gus new building, with many modern i'm
/ provements, the old house having been de
: ssroyei by fire several years ago.
Among the few ancient landmarks yet re-
naming visited the old log house built by
my grandmother sixty-six years ago. The
building is in reasonably good state of pre-
servation. passed night under its roof
The farm on which it is located has been
I divided and now contains two valuable
farms. The greater number OF the old build
( ings. such u dwelling houses. barns, dairy
houses. etc. have disappeared and new COM
modious edifiees, with all the modern inn
prosements. have supplanted them. The
improvement in farming is truly surprising.
Farms that were at one time 50 unproduc-
tive that the owners could scarcely raise
enough on them to support tlsir families,
have been 50 much improved by different
kinds OF manures and fertilizers that they
will compare favorably with the prairies of
the West The Improvement in farm imple-
ments and machinery is equally surprising
reapers. mowers, cultivators, threshers, and
other machinery, too numerous TO mention,
being seen ON nearly every farm
The improvement in live stock is no less
notable. Instead Of the old-tine staid plow
horse that required the vociferouS crying of
the driver and rigid application of the goad
equine that would compare iayorably with
Alexanders Bueephalus, or the war-horses
50 wildly described in the Book of job. The
improvement in the bovine and porcine spe-
cies has also been progressive. saw none
of the old-style self-sharpeners that formerly
infested the country, poking their noses
through the cracks ofthe primitive rail fence
as some bnsybodys are said to poke their
noses into other peoples business. but saw
droves of ponderous Chester Whites, Berk-
shires and other improved species. lounging
around oonteniedly a. though butehering
time was tar distant.
The highways have also been completely
metamorphosed; by use OF the road scraper,
hills have been cut down and hollows flied.
While the progress as above stated has
been almost unprecedented, | was somewhat
disappointed in finding that the progress in
educational matters has not been what had
anticipated, but rather Of a retrograding feat
ure-teaaiers wages being in some places as
low as nineteen dollars per month. Howey
er | opine that in few years the common
school system will be fully appreciated, and
the cause Of education receive proper atten-
ton
also met a few families that do not take
a newspaper, but they are few and far be
tween
While observing and contemplating the
great changes above stated, the following
lines of poem read in my boyhood days
were forcibly impressed upon my mind.
All things have now been ehanged-if not
by name, in look
Excepting Time the Testament and Web
sier's spelling book
almost forgot to mention that the old
time hospitality for which somerset County
has always been proyerbial remains unchan-
ged. and your correspondent Will long retain
in grateful remembrance, the kindness.
courtesy and hospitality extened 10 him dur
ing his recent visit by his numerous friends
aud acquaintanees, as well as by the whole
community -J0hasf0lcH T'-iJifse